as in excellent
of the very best kind
a first-string rendition of the musical piece
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Recent Examples of first-string
Perkins has worked with the second-team defense and saw a snap with the first-string unit as well, aligning over the center’s right shoulder in a pass-rushing look.
—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
20 June 2026
With Hollins and Boutte absent and Brown still on the Eagles, Doubs, Williams, Chism and Douglas received most of the first-string work at wide receiver.
—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
After years of learning the techniques of a long snapper, Olson earned a first-string spot at the position for Orange Lutheran and joined the Trojans in 2015 as a walk-on player.
—
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Sarkisian said the former four-star recruit from the suburbs of Mobile, Ala., is working with the first-string offense in practice and appears to be the front-runner for Manning’s top backup spot ahead of Morris, a collegiate journeyman who spent last season at Coastal Carolina.
—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
Tustin’s first-string defense was just as overwhelming, holding the Vanguards to negative-16 yards in the first half while the offense built a 48-0 lead.
—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
Most importantly, many defensive special-teams rushers are first-string players, whereas the blockers tend to be second- and third-string players.
—
J.j. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
On a rest day for Bo Nix and much of the Broncos’ first-string crew, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and a few key depth pieces, led the Broncos to a 27-7 beatdown of the Cardinals at Empower Field on Saturday night.
—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
17 Aug. 2025
That is an obvious but nevertheless tempting play with Burrow and the first-string offense in action.
—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
20 June 2026
With Hollins and Boutte absent and Brown still on the Eagles, Doubs, Williams, Chism and Douglas received most of the first-string work at wide receiver.
—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
After years of learning the techniques of a long snapper, Olson earned a first-string spot at the position for Orange Lutheran and joined the Trojans in 2015 as a walk-on player.
—
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Sarkisian said the former four-star recruit from the suburbs of Mobile, Ala., is working with the first-string offense in practice and appears to be the front-runner for Manning’s top backup spot ahead of Morris, a collegiate journeyman who spent last season at Coastal Carolina.
—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
Tustin’s first-string defense was just as overwhelming, holding the Vanguards to negative-16 yards in the first half while the offense built a 48-0 lead.
—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
Most importantly, many defensive special-teams rushers are first-string players, whereas the blockers tend to be second- and third-string players.
—
J.j. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
On a rest day for Bo Nix and much of the Broncos’ first-string crew, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and a few key depth pieces, led the Broncos to a 27-7 beatdown of the Cardinals at Empower Field on Saturday night.
—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
17 Aug. 2025
That is an obvious but nevertheless tempting play with Burrow and the first-string offense in action.
—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first-string
Adjective
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Turkey evened it in the 10th minute with an excellent two-man game from Baris Alper Yilmaz and Güler, the 21-year-old Real Madrid rising star.
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The nearby town of Dolores makes an excellent home base.
Adjective
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For its fruit, of course, with its prime role in snacks like cocos preparados or in rich guisados and seafood dishes that are known along the whole Pacific coast.
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The positioning for the kick would have been prime for a goal, but Yoel Bárcenas' hit was deflected by a header from Croatia's Joško Gvardiol at the wall.
Adjective
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That’s thanks to the show’s terrific cast, of course, but the actors are given a lot to work with in the smart, snappy scripts.
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Cody Bellinger is quietly having a terrific season for the Yankees.
Adjective
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However, Meta does have a stellar and reliable ad business.
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Best Amazon Prime Day Kitchen Deals Amazon has stellar Prime Day deals on cookware, small kitchen appliances, and more must-haves.
Adjective
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Food and drink, of course, are among the attractions of a New Orleans journey, and the superb offerings at the hotel—under the direction of Executive Chef Dario Montelvere, a Robb Report culinary master—reflect the city’s heritage, from regional cuisine and local seafood to steakhouse dishes.
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With half-time approaching, Morocco equalised when captain Achraf Hakimi bundled in from close range only for Haiti to reclaim the lead through a superb Wilson Isidor strike from the edge of the box.
Adjective
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Sneakers are always calling my name (a great travel companion).
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Having spent more than 30 years in the makeup industry, founder and makeup artist Jung Saem Mool knows great makeup starts long before foundation enters the picture.
Adjective
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So many wonderful dinners with friends and nights out on the town.
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Soccer – football in much of the world – has a long and wonderful tradition of singing, whether that be in praise of their favorite players, mocking opponents (sometimes, brutally so) or simply urging their team forward.
Adjective
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There are five equally lovely cover fabrics to choose from, all of which are Oeko-Tex-certified for baby-soft skin, and are machine washable to make their life a little bit easier.
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The kitchen is quite small but nicely renovated (the tile floors are lovely).
Cite this Entry
“First-string.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first-string. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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